


Lemonade, Old Photos and Family Talks

by JustAndrea



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Brief mention of Lou's fake death, Gen, Splinter is a good dad and the turtles are good sons, conversations and lemonade, idk what else to tag lol, nostalgia for the past, this family has communication issues but they're working on it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-26 10:51:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20388520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAndrea/pseuds/JustAndrea
Summary: “A friend?” “Well yeah! We’ve got April to vent to when we get stressed and to hang out with when we wanna have some extra fun, but think about it- Pops hasn’t had another adult to talk to in YEARS!” “Huh… I mean, it’s not a bad idea, really." “Though it should be noted that the last time he tried to socialize with someone his own age, he was nearly eaten by one of our enemies, so I don’t think we can trust him to meet someone NOT evil on his own.” “Which is why we have to help him! We know plenty of mutants now, there has to be someone who’d wanna hang out with him and NOT try to kill him afterwards.” “This family has the weirdest issues.”The boys try to find Splinter a new friend, but they all learn that sometimes the best people you can talk are your family, even when the conversation is bittersweet.





	Lemonade, Old Photos and Family Talks

**Author's Note:**

> Another Splinter and his past-centered story! Because they're just way too easy to think of and they give me all the feels, lol. But yeah, this started out as just a sort of joke scene of Splinter trying to hang out with Todd and then emotions happened. I really hope Shen shows up in the show proper sometime, and that she and Lou were best friends and she's not just dead like every other dang version of her. But until then, enjoy my writing/headcanons! Also sorry for the bad title, I literally could not think of anything else, heh. But yeah, here we go!

They all noticed it, eventually, after the incident in Grand Central Station and after Splinter revealed all that he could to them. Splinter -  _ Lou Jitsu -  _ had also begun training them properly, finally acknowledging that they were ready for the next level. (And besides, watching Lou Jitsu movies was… sort of awkward now, and probably would be for a little while.)

Getting to learn new things and become even stronger, their weapons and strategies becoming all the more effective as they were taught both as individuals and as a group - all in all, it was a great change in their routine. Even the fatigue they’d sometimes feel after more intense training or the lack of free time couldn’t completely turn them off from it. Those things didn’t matter, not when they were going to be true heroes and save the world from Draxum and the foot’s Dark Armor!

...But, with these positive changes came not so positive ones, for everything came with a price and Splinter was not the only one who’d had to explain things…

Sometimes Splinter would be up waiting for them when they got home, and would actually ask questions rather than just continuing to watch TV, even if he still sort of pretended not to be too concerned. Other times he wouldn’t even be in his chair, and was instead pacing around their home, giving the excuse that he was simply stretching his legs. And other times he wouldn’t be home at all. 

Instead, he was going out and searching for more Armor pieces while the boys were either out fighting the evil mutant of the night or were getting into typical teenage shenanigans. (Because Splinter still refused to let them sacrifice the rest of the childhood for training and war. Not yet, not until there was no other choice.) By this point, he was starting to do more searching than TV watching, which was strange to say the least. He even missed a few new episodes of Scorpion Treadmill, which was COMPLETELY unheard of!

Their father was beginning to have trouble sleeping too, and while he pretended to stay asleep during it, Mikey shared that he recently caught Splinter sneaking into his room to check up on him, just as he no doubt already did that night with his other sons. The tucking-in and the quick kiss on the forehead was admittedly nice in a sort of nostalgic way, but it was the concern behind the gesture that made Mikey frown instead of smile at it. 

There was no doubt about it, their usually lax, sometimes stern but still totally chill rat dad was _worried_ about them. Worried about who they would run into while they were out and what mutant and mystic dangers they would face, now that he knew what most of them were. Worried about them coming home so badly hurt that he wouldn’t be able to help them. Worried that they wouldn’t come home _at_ _all_…

While they’d never truly understand until the day they became fathers, if that day ever came, the four of them did understand Splinter’s worry on some level. It wasn’t like they weren’t scared of getting hurt or dying on a mission too, as much as they might have tried to hide it. But even so, all of that stress and worry just wasn’t good for Splinter, and game shows and old Jupiter Jim and Lou Jitsu movies just weren’t going to cut it as distractions anymore.

He needed something else to distract him, or (even better) something to help him get all his feelings out in order to deal with them and get them off his mind. He needed-

“A friend?” Leo repeated, tilting his head slightly.

“Well yeah!” Mikey nodded, “We’ve got April to vent to when we get stressed and to hang out with when we wanna have some extra fun, but think about it- Pops hasn’t had another adult to talk to in YEARS!”

“Huh… I mean, it’s not a bad idea, really,” Raph nodded as he thought about it. Everyone needed someone to talk to or laugh with when things got rough, and they couldn’t exactly take him to a therapist so, this was probably the best option.

“Though it should be noted that the  _ last _ time he tried to socialize with someone his own age, he was nearly eaten by one of our enemies,” Donnie pointed out, “So I don’t think we can trust him to meet someone NOT evil on his own.”

“Which is why we have to help him!” Mikey insisted, “We know plenty of mutants now, there has to be someone who’d wanna hang out with him and NOT try to kill him afterwards.”

“This family has the weirdest issues,” Leo flatly stated, though was ignored as his brothers tried to think.

“He got along pretty well with Bullhop when he was stayin’ here,” Raph spoke up after a few moments. He may have been a little bit annoyed with the bull’s clumsiness, but was otherwise comfortable enough around him. And sure, Bullhop was younger than Splinter, but they were both still adults so that had to count for something. Though the fact that their former house guest was now a whole country away was a bit of a problem. “Maybe we could hook them both up with webcams so they can talk whenever?”

Mikey hummed. “I dunno… Sure they didn't mind each other but they didn't really talk either? I don't think they have much in common. Besides, do we really wanna bother him while he's tryin’ to put together his mutant ballet thing?” Donnie nodded at this point. Both he and Mikey understood how frustrating being interrupted while in the middle of a project could be, whether that project was artistic or scientific.

Getting an idea, Leo snapped his fingers. “I've got it! Senor Hueso! He's probably about as old as Dad, and both Hueso and Splinter are dads and are sword fighters, so that's two things in common!”

“A fair assumption to make, Leon,” Donnie replied, “Although, Hueso just  _ barely _ tolerates us thanks to our frequent customer status. Do you really think he'd be able to tolerate someone like Pop?”

“...Okay yeah, good point.” Personality wise, they were both pretty different.

“WAIT!” Mikey said suddenly, nearly jumping out of his shell, “I know who we can get to hang out with Splinter, and he's the perfect, friendliest friend a rat guy could ever have!”

()()()()()()()()())()()()()

Splinter stood at the entrance of their home, blinking slowly. He certainly hadn't been expecting anyone that afternoon. April was long past needing to knock whenever she visited, and they didn't exactly get many other visitors down in the sewers - especially not ones this… smiley.

“Hello there!” The stout, furry man greeted, “You must be Splinter, right? Oh, or should I call you Splinter-San? I always try to be polite, after all.”

Splinter’s ears folded down slightly as he gave the man a flat look, but he did manage to keep his tone civil. “Just Splinter is fine, thanks.”

“Of course! And  _ you _ can call me-!”

“Todd!” Suddenly all his sons were there by his side. Funny, he couldn't seem to find ANY of them just a few minutes ago when he was forced to greet their surprise ‘guest’ on his own… “Glad you could make it, buddy!” Mikey greeted, his grin matching his brothers’.

“Same here! Gosh, you would not believe how hard it is to get away from those pups, even for just an afternoon.” The man giggled, giving a wave of his hand. “Oh, but those cute little furry faces and all the smiles I get are worth the hard work!”

“Furry faces?” Splinter mumbled, completely and utterly confused. 

But before he could even try to ask any questions, his oldest butted in. “Why don't you go make yourself at home in the kitchen, and Pops’ll be there in a sec, okay?” Raph told him, his welcoming smile becoming more and more sheepish by the second as his dad glared at all of them.

“It's on the second floor, right across from the arcade!” Donnie added thoughtfully, “Super easy to find, can't miss it!”

Todd chuckled again, his small basket of snacks (plus a thermos) bouncing slightly on his arm. “Sounds good to me!” He thanked the four turtles once again for their invitation and made his way past the entrance tunnel and into the main atrium of their home. And, as soon as the family of five was alone-

Splinter turned around, scowling as he crossed his arms. “Okay, why is there a gopher in our house and why am  _ I _ going to be the one keeping him company?” 

“He’s a woodchuck,” Mikey corrected.

“ _ Actually,  _ he's a capybara,” Donnie explained, “Way bigger than a woodchuck and interesting enough from South America-”

“Buuuuut more importantly,” Leo said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his purple and orange brothers, “He's someone who we think you could have a great time hanging out with! You know, chat a little, get to know each other, watch a movie together - whatever you want! Sooo, let's get to it, huh? Huh? What do you say, Dad?”

However, Splinter was just as stubborn as his sons. “I think I will pass, and since you boys invited him over, it is only fair that you four-”

“Ah, we would,  _ totally _ would!” Raph interrupted suddenly, “You know, since Todd’s such a great guy to hang out with. But uh, we can't cause- cause we just got a call from April! And she said, uh, that there’s a-”

“A giant pizza pigeon!” Mikey butted in, waving his arms wildly, “Totally wrecking every pizza shop in New York!”

“And honestly, Father, what heroes would we be if we didn't go stop it immediately?” Donnie asked, throwing in a bit of dramatic flair for good measure, “So while we would LOVE to stay here and hang out with you guys, alas, we must go! Buuuut we’ll try to be home within, let's say, two hours?” As in, the perfect amount of time for a decent visit and to make a connection with a possible new friend.

“Also your favorite tea cakes are in the cupboard,” Leo added, figuring that when all else failed, bribery still had its merits, especially when it came to Splinter and his sweets, “Okay have fun we’ll be back later  _ byeeeeee!” _

With that, his boys dashed off into the sewers, not even looking back at him. Splinter sighed, grumbling under his breath. He didn't know what his sons were planning or why they needed him to be kept busy by visiting with this Todd guy, but he would reluctantly play along. ...For now.

Stepping into his kitchen, Splinter could see that the perky capybara was already making himself at home. He’d already poured two glasses of lemonade from his thermos, and had found a plate that he was currently using to set homemade, dog shaped cookies on. “Hey, you!” Todd greeted again, still grinning, "Just getting our refreshments ready!" Frankly, Splinter was starting to wonder if Todd ever  _ stopped  _ grinning. 

“Yes, hello,” Splinter modded, sitting down, “So, uhh… You made lemonade, huh?

“Oh yes, my famous recipe!” Todd nodded. He took a moment to push a glass of it towards the rat man. “And I don’t wanna brag, but I’m pretty sure it lives up to the hype  _ and _ I can promise that every glass is made with care and a smile!”

“Of course it is,” Splinter mumbled. Honestly, did this gopher-woodchuck-capybara guy step out of a fairy tale picture book or something. Still, he was never one to turn down free refreshments, so he took a sip. Almost instantly, his ears perked back up while his fur tingled slightly, like it was being warmed by sunlight while the rest of his body became cooled and refreshed by the ice cold drink. “...Huh. Not bad.”

“Thanks!” Todd grinned. He hadn’t met a single person yet - human or mutant - who hadn’t enjoyed his lemonade, but the compliments were still nice to hear. “It’s a shame the boys can’t join us, I know they like my lemonade too.”

“Mm, yes, well, you know how teens are. Going off and doing… whatever it is that teens do.” And apparently that included keeping secrets and being sneaky with their father. Yes, he was  _ definitely  _ giving them a talking to when they got home from their ‘pigeon battle’.

Todd however was still blissfully unaware of Splinter’s annoyance - or if he was aware, he just ignored it. “They really are great kids! I’m sure you know all about the work they did for me down at my puppy shelter.” He paused, noticing the curious look on the old rat’s face. “Well, my place was kinda small for all the pups I had, and they needed my RV, so they offered to make me a whole puppy paradise!”

“Huh, you don’t say…”

“Oh yeah! Lots of play equipment and robots to help with cleanup and baths, and all sorts of neat things! Donnie stops by every once in a while to give everything a bit of a tune up and makes sure it’s all running right, and the other three are more than happy to help with training and keepin’ the pups happy. Ugh, I really do mean it when I say that you’ve raised four wonderful sons, Splinter.”

“...” Hearing these words, Splinter found himself giving a small proud smile, despite it all. He chuckled, shaking his head. “They are nothing but trouble sometimes… But yes, they can also be pretty wonderful to have around. I… honestly do not know what my life would be without them.” Averting his gaze, he took another quick sip of his lemonade and cleared his throat. “And, uh… Do  _ you  _ have any family?”

“Weeeell, I DO have plenty of adorable little puppies that I’m pretty close to!” Very excited now, Todd pulled out his phone, and opened up to his photos. Two hundred and seventy one photos, to be exact, and every single one of them starring one or many of the adoptees at Cuddle Cakes Rescue. After the ninth candid puppy shot though, Splinter stopped him. “Why don’t we continue this in the TV room? Much more comfortable!” Besides, Scorpion Treadmill would be starting soon, and there was nothing wrong with a little gameshow watching during conversation lulls, right?

“Oh! Of course!” Needing both his hands, Todd quickly pocketed his phone and grabbed both the snacks and their drinks. “Lead the way, friend!”

“Yes, friend, right. Come, it’s just this way-”

“Oh, hey, I was meaning to ask you what you do! Or, I guess what you did. Mikey said you were retired?”

“In a way, yes,” Splinter nodded, his tail moving to hold the dividing curtain open for Todd as they moved into the TV room, “And, technically, I am the boys’ sensei as well as their father. But before that…” He hesitated for just a moment, years of paranoia still having a bit of a kick in him before he was able to shrug it off. Draxum and his sons all already knew, not much of a point in hiding it from anyone else. “Before that, I was in the action film business.”

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

When the turtles arrived home two hours later, they could hear a pair of voices within their home, rather than just a Japanese announcer’s booming exclamations or the cheers of a live television audience. That was DEFINITELY a good sign. Raph quickly shushed them, and one by one they snuck up to the TV room…

“-So I just put a few drops on each of them and you know what, it worked like a charm! No more chewing on wires!”

“You know, I had the same problem with Red when he was a toddler, although I could not exactly get vinegar, so I just used a bit of sewer scum. It stunk up the place like crazy, but it kept him from electrocuting himself, so I lived with it - and for the next few months, I did not have much else to worry about. Nonono, the REAL trouble started when they started learning how to walk on two legs!”

They heard Todd giggle. “Oh, I could just imagine all the mischief those little rascals got into! Just the other day I took Kimi’s pups outside for the first time, and the first thing those little dachshunds tried to do was dig a hole under our fence!” The capybara laughed again, easily shrugging the whole thing off like he did most things.. “‘Course, their puppy paws weren’t strong enough to do any real damage, but I’m definitely gonna have to keep an eye on them-  **Whoa!** ”

Even more curious now, the four turtles opened the curtains slightly, just enough to see the tail end of a classic Lou Jitsu scene - a spinning split kick, followed by a quick cartwheel towards the final boss of the film’s climax and a sucker punch right in the gut. “Gosh, I may not be much of an action movie fan myself, but THAT was amazing!”

Splinter smirked, allowing himself to be just a little proud of the old stunt. “Yes, and would you believe I did it all in one take?”

“Oh I believe it!” Though that didn’t stop Splinter from diving into the story of how he spent a whole week perfecting that bit of choreography himself, not that Todd really minded judging by the smile on his face. ...Alright, to be fair, he always had a smile, but still!

“I can’t believe it,” Donnie whispered, “They’re actually getting along!”

“I know, right?” Leo nodded, pleased but just as surprised, “I thought for sure Dad would’ve kicked him out before we got home.”

“See!” Mikey beamed, crossing his arms in victory, “I TOLD you guys Todd was the perfect friend for him.”

“I’m just glad they’re talking at all,” Raph mumbled, knowing that just like how he sometimes stumbled over his speeches or explanations, his dad wasn’t always the best with words either. But hey, sometimes you just need the right person to listen. 

Satisfied, the four of them quietly busied themselves, killing time until Todd finally announced that he would have to leave, not wanting to leave his pups alone for too long even with all the robot assistants keeping an eye on them. “But I had a great time!” he insisted, “And it was just so great getting to spend some time with you, Splinter! After hearing about you from the boys, it was nice to finally meet you in person.”

Splinter paused for a moment before replying honestly, “I enjoyed your company as well, Todd.” (Out of the corner of his eye, he could’ve sworn he saw a couple of his sons fist pump.) “Have a safe trip back home.”

“Will do!” Todd then said a quick goodbye to the boys, with Donnie promising to stop by with another set of puppycare-tech upgrades soon and Leo getting an update on Matilda’s soon- to-be-born litter, wanting to be there the moment they were born so he could christen them all with only the  _ coolest _ puppy names. And, once Todd was on his way through the sewers and out of sight, all eyes were on Splinter.

Splinter looked back at them with squinted, unimpressed eyes. “...So, how was the fight with the giant pizza pigeon?” he asked coolly. 

“The what? OH! Yeah! That! Uh, we totally kicked its butt, naturally,” Raph nodded, “But uh, hey, you fight giant bird mutant, you’ve fought them all.”

“Heh, yeah, like, it was _ so _ boring I barely even remember the fight!” Leo added, with Mikey backing him up with a nod, “Mmhm, yep, tooootally gone from my mind!”

“I see,” Splinter nodded. It took all his strength for him not to roll his eyes at them. 

“Sooo, since we’ve got nothing interesting to share,” Donnie begun casually, trying not to sound too interested, “How was your afternoon with Todd, Pop?”

The rat hummed, making them wait for an answer for a few seconds before telling finally them, “It was nice enough. He was a good listener, and not too annoying I suppose. Makes good snacks too. So, a pretty good time.”

His sons grinned at each other, silently enjoying their successful mission. “That’s great to hear, Dad! So, you want me to text him and tell him that you want to get together next week?” Mikey asked, already getting his phone out.

Splinter suddenly gave a sharp laugh. “Oh goodness no!” Seeing their faces fall, he added, “Todd was nice enough, yes, but I don’t think I could hang out with someone like that ALL the time! Wayyy too friendly and cheery. Hmph, I would probably get a cavity from all that sweetness… But perhaps in a few months we can get together again. Now, if you four will excuse me, I am way overdue for my nap.” With that, he easily moved past them and headed downstairs to his room. He easily heard the groans behind him once he was out of the room, along with a few stray bits of conversation-

_ “Ughhh, I thought for sure they’d be BFFs!” _

_ “I guess it’s onto Plan B, then. ...You get it? ‘B’ for ‘Bone man’?”  _

_ "We get it, Leon…” _

_ “Man, there’s gotta be a friend for Splinter somewhere in this city…” _

Ah, so that was it, then. “My sons,” Splinter sighed. Good hearts with good intentions… but still not the brightest of the bunch. He appreciated their efforts but, as pleasant as his visit with Todd had been, it had also felt a little bittersweet.

It was not their fault, of course. They couldn’t have known… But some things - some people - just couldn’t be replaced, even with happy and friendly capybara men…

The four of them ended up waiting a few hours before making their way to their father’s room, a new plan in mind with the hopes that this one would fare better than the last. “You sure we shouldn’t wait longer?” Leo asked, “I mean, he might be annoyed that we’re trying to set up on another stranger hang out sesh so soon, and you know he’s not afraid to be petty and stubborn when he’s really annoyed.”

“Buuut, he could also be half asleep,” Donnie pointed out, “And therefore MUCH easier to convince to leave the lair.”

“Plus, Splinter never says no to free food!” Mikey added.

Taking the lead, Raph knocked gently on the frail wooden divider in front of his father’s room before opening it. “Hey Pop, you awake-?”

As it turned out, Splinter wasn’t in bed. In fact, it looked like he hadn’t even made it to his bed, and was instead over at small chest that he’d usually had his tv sitting on. But now the chest was open, with most of its secret contents having been set on the floor next to him. A pair of old, cracked yellow sunglasses (which the boys immediately recognized), some letters and yellow envelopes, a few postcards and- ...something else in their dad’s paw that they couldn’t quite see. “...Dad?” Raph spoke up again, a bit louder this time.

Splinter flinched slightly, his tail moving to try and hide the stuff on the floor. The turtles were a bit confused at that. They already knew that Splinter and Lou Jitsu were one and the same, so why would their dad try to hide it? “Ah, boys, I uh, I-I was just, ah, doing some cleaning up before heading to bed. Just got a little distracted, is all. It is nothing-”

Of course, that wasn’t nearly enough to deter his sons’ natural curiosity, and within a few seconds, they were all kneeling on the floor next to him. “How come you’re looking at some of your old Lou Jitsu stuff?” Leo asked, just a bit of concern slipping into his voice. Raph was looking at him with the same concern while Donnie, ever the observer and note taker, was already looking through the envelopes to try and see what he could learn.

“I- W-Well-” 

Suddenly, he felt his youngest at his side, managing to catch a quick look at the picture in his paws. “Wait, is that-?” Mikey started to say.

“It is noth-!” “Tang Shen?” Raph asked, his height allowing him to look right over his rat dad’s shoulders even as he tried and failed to hide the photo. His brothers quickly joined him, leaning in to get a better look at the picture as they crowded around their father. 

Sure enough, the woman in the picture - with the stylish 80’s outfit and the short black hair, smiling next to the younger, human version of their dad - was the same actress they easily recognized from  _ Jitsu For Justice _ . In fact, Tang Shen had been in quite a few of Lou’s movies… And in that moment, they realized that all of these certain films were ones that Splinter didn’t rewatch nearly as much as all his others, usually only putting them on for their sake, whether it was for their entertainment or their training...

Splinter sighed, suddenly feeling very tired, and perhaps a little guilty. But, there was no denying it now. “Yes… That is me and Tang Shen.”

“I… didn’t realize you two were friends,” Donnie said slowly, “I mean- I just figured you guys were just co-actors.” After all, pretty ladies in Lou Jitsu movies were common, so what would be specific about this one?

The rat man gave a short, humorless laugh. “We started out that way, yes… She was just starting out, and like most women in films those days, the only role she could really get was being a damsel that needed help escaping some villain. I thought she was a decent enough actress while the cameras were rolling, though had a bit of an attitude when they weren’t.” Splinter chuckled again, though this time he actually smiled as he did.

“We got into an argument about something, I don’t even remember, and she ended up challenging me to a spar. I decided to take it easy on her, and for it, she ended up kicking my butt pretty good. She had just as much skill as any other martial artist in Hollywood, and she certainly made sure I knew it.” His smile softened slightly. “And after that… We just became friends.”

Glancing back down to his small piles of personal memories and memorabilia, he picked up another envelope. This one had folded up magazine article in it, an interview the two had done together for one of their films. It was typed out in Japanese, so its content was completely lost on his sons, but the snappy and sarcastic answers Shen had given their interviewer to questions like “Would you consider yourself a Lady Lou Jitsu?” or “How do you keep your outfits and hair camera ready while doing your stunts?” still made him grin every time he read them. 

“Shen had good audience appeal, so our managers wanted us to work on a few more movies together,” Splinter continued.

“Oh! Like that one where Shen was an undercover bartender?” Mikey asked, “‘_Late Night in the Street Lights_’?”

“Oh yeah!” Leo grinned, “And then you guys work together to take out not one but  _ two  _ crimelords in the city, and then go out on date afterwards?”

“Mmhm, that one was definitely a fan favorite,” Splinter nodded, “We agreed to work together, but we both gave the producers one condition: Shen and I would only do a film together if she was my co-star in it, not a damsel. I may have still gotten top billing, but she got to be involved in the action scenes instead of just being tied to a chair or death trap or whatever. And as it turned out, she would never again be a damsel, because once her contract expired, she went to work on getting her own movies off the ground. I was able to give her a bit of help, using connections and all that, but it was her skills and talent that got her the jobs. She was very good at what she did, just as good as anyone else… And a pretty great person too.”

“...What was Shen like?” Raph asked as he placed a comforting hand on his father’s arm, his tone curious but cautious, “Outside of her movies, I mean.”

Splinter hummed again, his eyes becoming a bit distant. It had been years, but he hadn’t forgotten a single thing about her. He refused to forget. “...Well, she was just as fiery as the characters she played, never let anyone try to talk over her or treat her like a second-rate actress. Strong willed, tough with a sharp tongue for those who dared to give her a hard time… But she was also gentle, when she liked you.” He shut his eyes, just for a moment as he tried not to get overwhelmed or too emotional. 

“She… She looked out for me during rough times, just as I looked out for her. She could be fun, and very kind, knowing just what to say or do even when I felt completely clueless. We would spar and go out to clubs and parties, get ourselves in and out of trouble-” Though, he could secretly admit that he was usually the one foolishly getting them in trouble, and would always be thankful that Shen didn’t just get frustrated and leave him to fend for himself during those times (even if she still chewed him out afterwards). “And other times, we would just find somewhere quiet and talk. Catch up with each other or, or vent to each other, or just try to make each other laugh. Even when we were filming different projects in different countries, we still tried to call and write as often as we could. We… We were very close.”

Taking a chance, Mikey decided to ask the question he was sure his brothers were all thinking. “Did you, you know…  _ like _ her?” 

Thankfully, this inquiry didn’t offend, nor did it open up old wounds. Splinter just gave them all a flat look and asked, “Have any of you ever  _ liked _ April?”

And just like that, they suddenly knew the exact sort of relationship Lou had had with Tang Shen. Something deeper than just friendship or even a romantic Hollywood fling, something on the level of family. For their dad, Shen hadn’t been a co-actor or friend, she had been his person. She had been his April, and it was no wonder he missed her so much…

“Did she move to New York too? I mean, did you guys ever team up in the Battle Nexus or-” Donnie asked, but Splinter shook his head.

“No no, she was in Hong Kong during that time working on some sequel, though I still tried to keep in contact, up until…” He trailed off, guilt once again settling in his gut as his boys stared at him. “No, the… the last time I saw her was…”

The last time he saw her, it hadn’t even been in person. It had been on a small, crappy black-and-white TV that he had swiped from the dump, just barely working enough for him to see her tear-stained face, as the news reported on his funeral, an event planned after weeks of searching for him and the police only finding a jumpsuit that Splinter himself had burned and planted in an alley dumpster. 

Suddenly, Splinter stood up, not caring if he accidentally bumped into his sons or if his tail knocked over the small stacks of paper. “I, I need to go- T-To go do a thing. In another room. Right now.”

“Huh? Wait, but Dad!” Raph shouted, as he and the others started to stand up, ready to follow him if they needed to.

Splinter ignored them, just as he ignored the burning in his eyes. “I am fine,” he insisted.

“But Pop-!” “Wait, just-”

“I am busy-”

“You’re not- just hold a sec!” “Dad!”

“I have to go, I am  _ fine-! _ ”

_ “Master Splinter!” _

Splinter finally stopped at that. ...To be fair, when all four of your children shout your formal title at you - something they used as often as he used their full names - it was sort of hard not to stop… Still, he refused to turn around, just as he had refused a lot of things up to this point in his thirteen years as a father. Refused to let them know the truth. Refused to let them know all that he had gone through.

Refused to let  _ them _ feel guilt, just for being born.

Unfortunately, as much as he hated them, Splinter couldn’t exactly deny his feelings of loss and occasional longing. After all, it was still very possible for someone - even someone who loved their new life and wouldn’t change a thing about it - to still miss their old life occasionally. Old hobbies, old experiences, old friends... 

But that was not the fault of his children, and he absolutely  _ refused _ to let them carry that blame! The loss of his old life was HIS burden to bare, not theirs! He would not let them think that he regretted his choices - that he regrets his family - just because he was feeling a little nostalgic or lonely. He couldn’t do that, and he wouldn’t, promising himself over and over that he wouldn’t.

...And yet, as a three-finger hand took him by the shoulder and slowly turned him back around, Splinter didn’t see looks of guilt or self resentment or even of pity. He just saw his four sons, looking at him with love and concern and just a tiny bit of relief. 

“Dad, it’s okay, really…” Leo started out, “It’s… You guys were best friends so, it makes sense you’d miss her if she was really such a cool and great person. It makes sense that you’d miss being Lou Jitsu too, but we aren’t gonna get mad at you for that. We know that doesn’t mean you don’t still love us or whatever.”

“Yeah, though... we’re sorry that you can’t still be friends with her,” Raph continued, frowning for a moment before offering his father another smile, “But, we’re glad you told us about her. We just… We know you want us to be okay, but we want YOU to be okay too.”

“Yeah!” Mikey nodded, “We don’t want you to feel stressed out and alone all the time, and holdin’ in your feelings isn’t exactly good either, Pop. But hey, if you wanna talk to us about the stuff you miss or the stuff you’re worried about, we’ll listen! Just like how you listen to us when we’re dealin’ with stuff!”

“That _ is _ how a family works, after all,” Donnie finished with a small smirk. 

Splinter stared at them all, almost in disbelief, before giving a teary smile. “My sons…” Their own smiles never faltering, the turtles quickly pulled him into a tight group hug, with Splinter allowing just a couple of tears to finally fall as he held his boys close. Todd’s words echoed in the back of his mind, and once again agreed with him: He really did have wonderful sons.

After a couple minutes, the five of them separated somewhat, though still stayed close. “You know, maybe you could look her up sometime,” Leo suggested, “Reconnect and all that? Old people do that, right?”

Splinter slightly swatted his shoulder at the old comment, but otherwise considered it. “Heh… Do you think she would really be alright with… This whole situation?” he asked, gesturing to himself.

“Eh, if she’s still anything like how you described her, I think she would be cool with it,” Donnie shrugged, his brothers agreeing.

The rat chuckled, thinking about it. Knowing Shen, she’d probably give him a hard smack, followed by one of the tightest hugs he’d probably ever receive. She’d listen to his tale, and scold him for not letting her help him even while understanding why he didn’t, and they would talk and catch up and he would introduce her to his sons. Maybe not the family she would be expecting, but he knew deep down that she would love them nonetheless. And, with a bit of luck, it would be just like old times…

“Perhaps, one day,” he said finally. There was still the Armor and Draxum to take care of, after all. But, if they survived all of that, then truly anything was possible.  But, until then- “I will be fine,” Splinter gently insisted, giving his sons a genuine smile, “As long as I have my family with me, I will be fine.”

“And so will we,” Raph agreed, his younger brothers strongly and happily agreeing to that.

They helped their father pack his memories back into his chest, his small TV returning to its place on top of it, and then led him out of the room. Raph was suggesting they call in for pizza while Mikey suddenly remembered he had a dessert idea he wanted them all to try. Leo and Donnie began arguing over whether to watch that night’s sitcom line-up or pop in another movie. Not that it mattered, since Splinter would most likely take control of the remote, but he let them have their little debate anyway as a content smile remained on his furry face.

He would have many more stories to tell them, if they were ever interested. Stories about Shen and his manager, of other friends - actors  _ and _ yokai - he knew during his time. Stories that were funny and exciting, and others that were bittersweet but still nice to share and to listen to. Stories that were sadder, perhaps even a bit tragic, but still an undeniable part of his life. If they wanted him to, he would share them all. He had promised them no more secrets, and they had promised him just as much support as he gave them.

But, until those moments came, he wouldn’t dwell on them - just as he wouldn’t dwell on possibly seeing Shen again, no matter how much he might have wished for it. After all, with his boys and their shenanigans, and with a warm and happy home and good food and a comfy chair to sit and watch great TV and classic movies in, Splinter decided that he was still much better off living in the present, no matter how appealing the past occasionally might have been.

His new life was as perfect as it could be, save for centuries old demons and warring warrior scientists, and he wouldn’t dare trade it - wouldn’t trade  _ them _ \- for all the second chances in the world.

**THE END**


End file.
